There was a perversely delicious irony when Green Moon passed the winning post to win the 2012 Melbourne Cup.
Sitting atop the flying six-year-old stallion was Brett Pebble.
Had it not been for an act of mind blowing stupidity, it would have been Damien Oliver who would have piloted Green Moon around Flemington.
In 2002, Oliver reduced a nation to tears when he rode Media Puzzle to one of the most memorable victories in the great race, coming just days after the death of his brother Jason in a training accident.
Ten years hence, he is embroiled in one of the sport’s preeminent dramas.
It is alleged that Oliver, last month, admitted to having wagered $10,000 on Miss Octopussy, a rival horse in a race at Moonee Valley in 2010.
Miss Octopussy duly won.
The bet was allegedly placed through a third person with Miss Octopussy winning at odds of $2.30 – a $13,000 windfall for Oliver.
Oliver’s mount, Europa Point, finished sixth.
Such an act by any jockey, let alone one of Oliver’s standing, simply beggars belief.
As a result of the affair, one of the country’s most high profile equine owners, Lloyd Williams dropped Oliver as the mount for Green Moon for the Cox Plate and the Cup.
Oliver instead rode the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner, the American-bred French-trained, Americain, finishing 11th.
Part-owner of Americain, Gerry Ryan, offered Oliver the ride on his six-year-old stayer but admitted to not having questioned the jockey about the alleged scandal.
Oliver has spoken to racing officials about his mind-blowing indiscretion and it is believed that his actions that fateful day at Moonee Valley have been known to the Victoria Police for several months.
The question then has to be asked as to how the hell he was allowed to ride in the spring carnival?
Surely, if the VRC was aware of the story, and indeed as reported, had a confession from Oliver that he did violate one of the most sacred tenets of racing, how could they have allowed him to keep riding?
If they were hoping to keep the whole sordid affair under wraps until after the running of Australia’s most iconic horse race to avoid embarrassment or exposure affecting the great race, the entire committee should hang its head in shame, or better still, resign en masse.
What would have happened had Americain run a place, or potentially even worse, repeated its 2010 success?
All the VRC will publicly say at present is that its investigation is ongoing.
Sources say it may be completed before the end of the week.
A Racing Victoria official said at Flemington this morning that, “Stewards are conducting an ongoing investigation into the allegations and as no charges have been laid, it is a matter of procedural fairness to allow the jockey to continue racing”.
However, if it comes to light that Oliver has indeed admitted his guilt – and to date he has said nothing publicly to deny it – there will be bigger questions to answer as to why the officialdom allowed him to contest the carnival.
We will all wait with extreme interest.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Boy, can I relate to days like that!
sheek
Roar Guru
Actually Glenn, I agree with you. I'm just a bit snarly today. ;-)
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Sorry Sheek, but we'll have to agree to disagree. I think whenever participants are willing to bet on the event in which they are involved it is fraught with danger. Whether a sportsperson gives 'his all' is very hard to gauge. If a footballer drops a mark, a cricketer drops a catch or a golfer misses a short putt, should it be discovered that he had placed a bet on the result it opens up way too many problems. A blanket ban, with NO excuses, is the only way to go.
sheek
Roar Guru
No Andrew, I don't advocate 'do nothing.' What I'm attempting to point out is that there is a lot that's wrong about betting. Okay, perhaps I'm suggesting that since there is so much wrong with betting, Oliver might as well be just another example that gets away. Of course, I accept that two, or five, or 10 wrongs don't make a right, but that's how I feel about this. Right or wrong! ;-). Anyway, he'll pay for his stupidity, so everyone will be happy in the end. :-)
sheek
Roar Guru
Actually Glenn, If you want to put me on the spot - if a jockey's character satisfies me he can bet on another horse while giving his own mount its utmost best, then i can live with that, strange as it may read. There is a lot about betting that I find wrong & the law is very rubbery in what it allows & what it doesn't & who it allows to do the screwing & who can't. As an example, neither casinos nor lottos nor betting agencies are a level playing field, but they're allowed by law since they make govts & a small but wealthy group of people even more obscenely wealthy. But we could argue about the merits of justice until we breathe our last breath.....
sheek
Roar Guru
Iangou, People better qualified than me said Oliver rode his mount as well as he could, so i have to trust their judgement. Look, the media say that Oliver has admitted to the bet. He'll get a lengthy ban which might end his riding career. It was one stupid act by an otherwise decent human being.
langou
Roar Guru
Sheek, I would love to know on what basis you can be so sure that there was “no question that Oliver rode his mount to its absolute best”. He didn’t win the race and knew that he would be $23,000 better for not winning, surely you must have some doubt?
Happy Hooker
Guest
The investigation is incomplete apparently. Whilst he may have admitted to something, he has not been found guilty yet, and no submisions have been made by either side with respect to penalty. He should be allowed to keep riding until such penalty is determined, which should be as soon as possible.
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
what the hell is worse than a TOP (or any) jockey betting on a rival's horse ?? It just places yet another question mark over the iNTEGRITY of racing and perhaps gives credence to the wowsers who say that racing is the domain of 'crooks' and 'spivs' !! ........... Sheek, it's like a major breeder 'running up prices' (in conjunction with 'associates') at major horse sales/auctions - everyone knows it goes on but all the 'players' do nothing. ............... charming !! :)
Oracle
Guest
Craig Williams jumped after the Cox Plate. Bad luck Craig
Oracle
Guest
Always been a huge fan of Ollie but it is fair to say he may get a decent holiday from what has been reported. Uncle Lloyd and Green Moon's form reversal. maybe Bailey should look at that, it was filthy as fav in the Cox Plate, world beater today.......
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
There may be worse things happening every day, but in his sport what he has been alleged to have done is tantamount to one of the most unacceptable things a jockey can do. And I would not call it a 'supposed' crime, unless you feel it does not matter if jockeys lay bets on races in which they are competing.
sheek
Roar Guru
Jockeys aren't allowed to bet in races in which they ride. That is the law. However, there is no question that Oliver rode his mount to its absolute best in the race in question. For me, there are far worse things happening every day than any supposed crime committed by Oliver. He lost the winning ride on Green moon, so that is justice I guess.
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
Glenn, it is of NO regret that Damien did NOT win on Americain (and just justifies the fact that I never considered the two topweights a realistic chance in the Cup today - givi ng away too much weight to a classy mid-handicap lot :) ....................... Oliver should have been stood down IMMEDIATELY instead of the stipes prevaricating !! - for your info, I backed both Green Moon (what a superb damline that races back to MILL REEF) and Jakkalberry (who I backed in the Caulfield Cup) and the result was SWEET $$ )